Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Chiutsun Albert Lee

Morgan Daniel Murphy

Duane Donald Fortune

Charles A Gray

Stuart Stites Sullivan

David R Little

Peter A Thayer

Phillip E Kaltenbacher, Ii

Pamela Ann Roe

Douglas Allen Nunan

An improved weight-based occupant characterization method that can inexpensively and reliably distinguish between a child or small adult and a tightly cinched child seat. When the sensed weight is in a specified range that could be produced by a tightly cinched child seat, the system characterizes the occupant based on a detected variation in sensed weight during movement of the vehicle. If the variance of the sensed weight is below a threshold for a predetermined interval, the occupant is characterized as a child seat, since a tightly cinched seat belt severely restricts variance. If the variance exceeds the threshold for a predetermined interval, the occupant is characterized as a child or small adult. A correlative factor that can be used in distinguishing between a child seat and a child or small adult is determined by computing a slope reversal rate, or frequency, of the measured weight. In this case, a child seat is indicated by the combination of low variance and a high frequency, whereas a child or small adult is indicated by the combination of high variance and a low frequency. Additionally, movement of the vehicle can be detected when the variance of the sensed weight is within a predetermined range for at least a predetermined interval.

Vehicle occupant characterization method based on sensed occupant weight

Growing community of inventors

Kokomo, IN, United States of America

Chiutsun Albert Lee